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BALSAM GROVE - A Transylvania County teenager is now facing charges following the deaths of two 15-year-old passengers in his truck Sunday.

Landon Cole Shipman, 19, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle exceeding the posted speed limit, said Sgt. Chris Goodson with the North Carolina Highway Patrol Wednesday. Shipman is also facing a child restraint violation.

On Monday troopers had said charges were pending against Shipman but they first needed to consult with District Attorney Greg Newman.

The two who died were Cole Owen, who had just completed ninth grade at Rosman High, and Austin Rhoden, who had finished eighth grade at Brevard Middle and was a rising ninth-grader at Brevard High.

The accident happened at about 7:30 p.m. on Tanassee Gap Road in Balsam Grove, a secluded rural area in the northwest of the county, more than an hour's drive from Asheville.

Troopers with the highway patrol said Shipman was speeding when he entered a curve, lost control, overcorrected and overturned.

The posted speed limit at that point in the road is 35 mph, Goodson said.

"We are estimating he was doing 50 mph," the sergeant said.

There were five people in the older model Toyota Tacoma. Owen was in the front passenger seat and was not wearing a seat belt. Because he was under 16 it was Shipman's responsibility to make sure he was properly secured, troopers said.

Three people were in the bed of the truck, including Rhoden. He was thrown from the vehicle in the crash and both he and Owen died at the scene.

The two others in the bed were a 14-year-old boy, and a 24-year-old man.

The man was airlifted to the hospital and the teenager was brought by ambulance. On Monday both were in stable condition, Goodson said. Troopers didn't have updates on their conditions Wednesday.